The 72-year-old Australian television personality, who plays the part of the Wizard in musical Wicked, said that he was upset to miss the start of the season when he was battling viral pneumonia in intensive care last month.

Newton told the Herald Sun: "I was very disappointed I couldn't be here for the start of the season. But there was no way round it. If the show had been in Melbourne, I would have been off for the same amount of time. It was probably the most serious thing that's happened to me healthwise."

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He also revealed that he "loves" his role in the production, adding: "Realistically, at my time of life, there's a chance I won't get an opportunity to be in a show of this magnitude again.